King Gilgamesh readied himself to confront Kingu, the formidable opponent who had dared to challenge his reign. The air crackled with tension as the two faced off, each emanating an aura of power and determination. His gaze was fixed on Gilgamesh, saying, "I'm surprised you would come to a secluded area like this without a proper escort; you've either grown used to good luck or you greatly underestimated us." walking towards Fujimaru and Mash, The valiant hero Fujimaru replied, "We know that you should be dead." As the clash began, a dazzling spectacle of magic unfolded, with King Gilgamesh invoking the ancient powers at his command. Opening the Gate of Babylon, a legendary source of divine weaponry, he summoned a multitude of golden spears and swords to rain down upon his opponent. The very ground trembled with the weight of their forces as the battlefield became a canvas for their clash of titans. With each strike and parry, the clash between these mighty warriors reverberated through the battlefield, a symphony of destruction and determination. Both combatants pushed themselves to the limit, unrelenting in their assault, as they sought to exploit any weakness in their opponent's defence.
Fujimaru and Mash found themselves standing in awe as they beheld the formidable powers wielded by King Gilgamesh and Kingu. It was a moment of realisation for Fujimaru when he pointed out to the King that the adversary they were facing was not Enkidu, but none other than Kingu himself. To Fujimaru's slight surprise, King Gilgamesh was already informed of this critical detail. The intensity of the battle only seemed to escalate as both sides engaged with equal mastery in their chosen combat style. Demonstrating his ability, Kingu effortlessly summoned a seemingly unending array of golden chains, each striking with precision. In a show of equal skill and strength, King Gilgamesh called upon his legendary Gate of Babylon to unfurl a dazzling array of golden spears and swords, each glinting in the chaos of battle. With fury in his eyes, Kingu prepared to unleash another devastating attack while talking to Gilgamesh: "In all creation, I am the most powerful being on this planet, so there is no need for a defective demigod like you. Worthless fool of a king, enemy of my mother, I will kill you here and now," the king replied, saying, "You have acquired excellent magic energy; was it a gift from the three goddesses?" Both Kingu and Gilgamesh skillfully parried each other's strikes, the clash of their weapons resounding through the area. Despite the intensity of the fight, Kingu, with his keen advantage, strategically employed his chains to ensnare King Gilgamesh, effectively restricting his movements. This tactical manoeuvre gave Kingu a window to launch a devastating wave of attacks aimed squarely at his opponent. The chains tightly bound Gilgamesh, rendering him immobile and vulnerable as the relentless assault bore down upon him.
In the midst of the battle, a sudden wave of memories flooded Kingu's mind—memories of Enkidu and his enduring bond with Gilgamesh. The poignant recollections of the camaraderie shared between the two heroes momentarily clouded Kingu's focus, casting a shadow over his decisive strike. As Kingu hesitated, his attack veered off course, missing its mark on the now defenceless King. The weight of the past mingled with the intensity of the present, creating a moment of vulnerability in the heat of battle as Kingu grappled with the memories that threatened to alter the course of the fierce confrontation. In an outburst of overwhelming emotions and confusion, Kingu found himself grappling with a deep surge of conflicting feelings, ultimately leading to his retreat from the chaotic battlefield. As the fierce battle drew to a close, King Gilgamesh, firmly taking charge of the situation, directed Fujimaru and Mash to make their way back to the majestic city of Uruk, urging them to return swiftly. Upon their arrival in Uruk, the distressing news regarding the relentless attack of the Demonic Beasts swiftly reached the attentive ears of the concerned king. In a swift exchange of information, Citri, the respected priestess of Uruk, rushed to King Gilgamesh to deliver the critical message that the valiant King Leonidas was valiantly holding the Demonic Beasts at bay, despite the dwindling supply of essential arrows and medical provisions. With a decisive nod, King Gilgamesh promptly instructed his trusted generals to coordinate the immediate dispatch of reinforcements alongside crucial medical resources to aid and support King Leonidas in this dire hour of need.
The following day, King Gilgamesh urgently summoned Fujimaru and Mash. Accompanied by the enigmatic Merlin, the renowned mage, they were given a crucial mission: to journey to the ancient city of Kuta and retrieve the elusive Tablet of Destiny. As they made their way back to their quarters, Merlin shared intriguing details about the city of Kuta, known as the domain of the enigmatic goddess Ishtar. He recounted the unsettling tale of Kuta and how the brave King Leonidas, who was dispatched to the city on a previous mission, only discovered a chilling mystery. Upon his arrival, he found the lifeless bodies of the city's inhabitants scattered across the eerie streets. It seemed as though their very souls had been abruptly torn from them, leaving behind no trace of blood or signs of struggle—just a haunting silence that echoed through the empty city streets. The air was thick with a sense of foreboding as Fujimaru, Mash, and Merlin pondered the enigma that awaited them in the heart of the forsaken city. A heavy sense of sadness enveloped Fujimaru's heart, casting a shadow over the path ahead. In the wake of Merlin's solemn explanation regarding the city's purported curse, the weight of their mission seemed to grow exponentially. Eventually reaching the refuge of their quarters, the weary party sought solace in much-needed rest, each member silently contemplating the challenges that lay ahead. As dawn broke, a newfound resolve propelled them forward on their journey, their hearts heavy with anticipation and trepidation. Upon finally arriving at the long-awaited destination, the deserted city loomed ominously in the early light, a silent reminder of the dangers that awaited after nightfall. Trusting in Merlin's wisdom, the party acknowledged the necessity of waiting for daylight to fully gauge the perils that lurked within the city's abandoned streets. As the sun majestically rose above the horizon, casting its warm golden rays upon the city skyline, the motley party, consisting of Fujimaru and his companions, eagerly crossed the threshold into the bustling urban landscape. A collective decision was swiftly made to venture out in pairs, each pair determined to scour the intricate labyrinth of streets and alleys that now unfolded before them, concealing secrets and mysteries waiting to be uncovered.
Little did Fujimaru realise, as he wandered deeper into the heart of the city, that the very ground beneath his feet held a dark connection to the eerie realm of the Underworld, a place where the boundaries between life and death blurred into obscurity. It was an unsuspecting step that led him to the entrance of the Land of the Dead, where shadowy figures and restless spirits awaited, ready to ensnare any living soul that dared to trespass upon their domain. Just as Fujimaru found himself on the brink of a harrowing encounter with the vengeful spirits, a mysterious cloaked figure materialised before him, emanating an aura of authority and power that seemed to command even the most tenacious of shadows to retreat. With firm resolve, the figure spoke words of warning to the souls of the underworld: "Halt; there is life yet within this one. If you take this soul, you will incur your masters' wrath. Now go seal the seven gates and resume your guard of the soul cages." At that moment, the vengeful spirits disappeared.
In a moment of profound revelation, Fujimaru recognised the enigmatic stranger as the humble beggar he had encountered on the bustling streets of Uruk, a realisation that sparked a wave of gratitude and reverence within his heart. Expressing his heartfelt thanks to the stranger for his timely intervention, Fujimaru watched in awe as the stranger, with a gesture of grace and wisdom, parted the veils that separated the realms of the living and the dead, beckoning Fujimaru to retrace his steps and return to the world above. Filled with a deep sense of indebtedness and appreciation, Fujimaru heeded the stranger's words. While he asked the mysterious stranger his name, the figure replied, "I am Ziusudra." Fujimaru made his way back through the ethereal gate, which led to the land of the living. Upon Fujimaru's miraculous return from the perilous land of the dead, his eyes welled with relief as he beheld the concerned faces of Mash and Merlin, who had been anxiously awaiting his arrival. With a weary yet determined voice, Fujimaru recounted the harrowing ordeals he had faced to the wise mage. As the weight of the tale settled in, a sudden tension gripped the air as the radiant Goddess Ishtar descended upon the gathering, her ethereal presence crackling with power. The ensuing clash of wills and blades between the group and the divine being unfolded in a dazzling display of raw energy and skill. Despite their collective strength, the sheer magnitude of the goddess's power threatened to engulf them. Yet, in a fleeting moment of opportunity, Anna, the stalwart ally, seized the chance to strike a decisive blow, her attack striking true and sending the formidable goddess Ishtar spiralling into unconsciousness.
The Goddess Ishtar, awakening from the depths of unconsciousness, discovered to her dismay that Anna's chain had bound her inescapably. Her first instinct was to strike a deal, offering her freedom in exchange for valuable insights into the whereabouts and intentions of the other goddesses aligned in the peculiar alliance. With graceful yet urgent eloquence, Ishtar delved into the intricacies of the impending showdown that loomed over the city of Uruk, revealing, "We are in competition with each other; the objective is to see who can destroy Uruk and gain possession of King Gilgamesh's Holy Grail. The first goddess to obtain the Holy Grail will gain full control of Uruk itself. And that's it, simple, right?" she smiled. Her tale unfolded like a tapestry of ancient lore, Ishtar emphasised the uniqueness of her summoning by the Priestess of Uruk, setting her apart from the other deities who had been drawn forth by the tainted energies of the corrupted Holy Grail. The twilight hour cast a haunting ambience over the landscape, intensifying the urgency of their predicament as the boundary between the living and the dead trembled precariously. In this moment of eerie stillness before the impending storm of battle, Fujimaru and the valiant members of the party braced themselves for the imminent clash against the encroaching forces gathering in the shadows, ready to lay claim to the very souls of the living.